Shake It Up: Healthy Reasons to Lay Off the Salt

Whether you're young, old, fat, thin, ill or healthy, you're probably eating more salt than you should.

The recommended daily allowance of sodium for an average person's diet is about 2,300 milligrams -- equal to about a teaspoon of table salt.

But most Americans eat about 6,000 to 10,000 milligrams per day, said Cassie Wrich, a registered dietitian at Hillcrest Exercise and Lifestyle Program. And a recent report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest shows that you may be eating that much sodium in a single meal, if you're not careful about what you order at popular chain restaurants.

Researchers for the CSPI examined 17 chains and found that 85 out of 102 meals had more than a day's worth of sodium, and some had more than four days' worth of sodium content. Some of the restaurant meals were the equivalent of eating three whole teaspoons of salt.

"Because we eat out so much, it's just ridiculous how much sodium we're eating," Wrich said. "Everybody needs to worry about it, because even if they don't have health problems now, eating too much sodium could cause them later."

The Size of Salt

Eating less salt is one of the best ways to prevent high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. Sodium is an essential mineral, but our bodies only need about 200 to 500 milligrams per day -- way less than the 6,000 to 10,000 milligrams most Americans are eating, Wrich said.

And people who have high blood pressure and people middle-aged or older should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily, according to dietary guidelines.

Part of the problem with many restaurant meals is portion size -- the sodium content equals several meals' worth because the single entree should actually serve two to three people, Wrich said.

But pre-packaged and processed foods eaten at home, including lunch meats and canned soups, are often some of the worst hidden- sodium culprits in our diets, she said. The majority of the sodium we eat -- 77 percent -- comes from processed and prepared foods.

Check the labels and you may be surprised to find out that your lunch meat contains half a day's worth of sodium, or that a single cup of ramen noodles can equal your entire recommended daily allowance of sodium.

Watch out for misleading labels such as "reduced sodium" or "no added salt" -- those don't mean products are low sodium, Wrich said.

Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables or make sure to drain and rinse canned vegetables to reduce sodium content, she said. Or try using fresh garlic or no-salt herb blends to season your food instead of salt or salt blends, and know that your taste buds will eventually adjust to eating food with less salt. Our taste for salt is acquired, so it is reversible.

"It really only takes about four to six weeks for the taste buds to change," she said.

What Not to Eat...

If you're trying to reduce your sodium intake, avoid these high- sodium meals at popular chain restaurants:

Red Lobster "Admirals' Feast" with caesar salad, creamy lobster- topped mashed potatoes, a cheddar bay biscuit and a lemonade = 7,106 milligrams of sodium

Chili's Buffalo chicken fajitas with tortillas and condiments and a Dr Pepper = 6,916 milligrams 

Olive Garden "Tour of Italy" meal with a breadstick, garden fresh salad with house dressing and a Coca-Cola = 6,176 milligrams